Today’s gospel reading
from John is so simple that it is easy to skip it. Not only is it short but it
sounds like other stories we’ve heard. After spending a few days in Samaria,
Jesus heads back to his home turf in the area of Galilee. Today’s story takes
place in Cana where Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding banquet.
John doesn’t say what
Jesus is doing in Cana only that a royal official from Capernaum comes to see
Jesus. His son was at home dying. The royal official with all his prestige and
money, had a problem that no amount of money or connections could fix. His son
was at the point of death. Desperate times call for desperate measures. The
royal official heard about Jesus – about his words and deeds of power. He
thought maybe if he asked, no if he begged Jesus would help his son. He finds
Jesus and begs for his son’s life.
We parents will do
anything for our children – especially when they are sick. It seems as though
Jesus is indifferent to this man’s plight. He says, “Unless you see signs and
wonders you will not believe.” (John 4:48) The royal official is not put off by
his indifference. The royal official persists. He says, “Sir, come down before
my little boy dies.” (John 4:49) Jesus does not give the man what he wants but
he gives him promise – something he can’t even see. Jesus says, “Go; your son
will live.” (John 4:50) The royal official has a choice he can give in to
despair or he can go home trusting in that promise.
Put yourself in the
royal official’s shoes – maybe you’ve been there with your own child or a loved
one. Your child is sick – to the point of death. Nothing seems to be working.
Everything has been tried. But you hear about this guy – who from all accounts
is more than just a prophet but God in human form. He’s in the neighbourhood and
you go and beg for help. The words fall from your mouth, your little child whom
you love, who you would give your life for is dying, please come, please help.
And the only answer you get is indifference. Like a wall of silence from God.
So you beg again.
Hoping that he’ll hear your desperation. Hoping that he will come and touch
your child. Instead you are given the promise that if you go your son will
live. Decision time. Do you go and believe this man’s word or do you give up?
Maybe you like the royal official decide to walk the road of faith and walk the
many miles to your home again not knowing if that word, that promise is true.
It is a heart wrenching
scene. The royal official does not give into despair. He chooses the path of
faith. It says, “The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started
on his way. It must have been the longest journey of his life – he probably
couldn’t walk fast enough. As he walked his slaves met him and told him his son
was alive. When he asked the when his son started to get better they said,
“Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.” (John 4:52) The same
time Jesus said, “Your son will live.”
God does not always
answer us in the ways that we expect. Sometimes that wall of silence is really
a promise. Sometimes new life comes in disguises that are hard to recognize. Nadia
Bloz-Webber writes in her book Pastrix
“New doesn’t always look perfect. …New looks like recovering alcoholics. New
looks like reconciliation between family members who don’t actually deserve it.
New looks like every time I manage to admit I was wrong and every time I manage
not to mention when I’m right. New looks like a fresh start and every act of
forgiveness and every moment of letting go of what we thought we couldn’t live
without and then living without it anyway. New is the thing we never saw
coming—never even hoped for – but ends up being what we needed all along.” (Pastrix p. 177)
The royal official got just
that – what he didn’t even know he needed. Not only did his son live, but the
royal official and his whole family got a new way of living. He went to see Jesus expecting that he would
come and lay hands on his son. Instead he was given a new way of living. Faith
is not an answer it is a way of life. It is leaving not knowing whether or not
his son will live but taking each step trusting in the promise that God is with
us.
It is the same lesson
that the disciples learned as they climbed the mountain. Peter, James,
John and Jesus climb the winding trail that leads to the top of Mount Tabor not
knowing what to expect or where Jesus is taking them. With each step they get
increasingly short of breath. Jesus doesn’t seem to mind though. He is on a
mission. His footsteps are steady. Jesus never seems to lose his breath or
heart.
At
the top of the mountain, the disciples look down at the planes below and in the
next instant Jesus’ face is shining like the sun and his clothes are dazzling
white. It hurts the disciple’s eyes to look at Jesus. They squint to keep the
radiant light from blinding them, Moses and Elijah appear and they are talking
to Jesus.
Their
knees are shaking and hearts are racing. There is fear and wonder at the same time.
Peter says, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish I will make three
dwelling places here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Peter
keeps on talking, babbling because he’s nervous. Then a voice says, “This is my
Son, the beloved, with him, I am well pleased, listen to him.” Peter, James and
John fall to the ground, shaking with fear. After a couple of minutes, Jesus
touches their shoulders and says, “Get up and do not be afraid.” Then it all disappears and what remains is
the feeling of standing in the presence of God most holy.
A moment spent with the
holy and living God changes our lives – we are never the same again. The royal
official knew or why else would he have headed home? The disciples knew it or
who else could they have followed Jesus each day?
Faith is a daily journey with moments of
great faith, periods of doubt and instances where God comes close. We cannot
predict the days or times when these things will happen. We can’t always live
in the shinning beauty of what happened when Jesus was transfigured. Those holy
moments come and go. Faith is found as we climb to the top of the mountain and
in the winding road that leads down into the valley. Faith is trusting in the
promise of the one who offers new life. Faith is trusting that God is always
there to give us what we need. So let’s go trusting, doubting, praying,
working, building, knowing that God meets us wherever we are on the way today
and every day. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment